Remote control system, remote commander, and remote control server

Abstract

An information processing apparatus and server apparatus are disclosed. In one example, the information processing apparatus is configured to display content on a first display and transmit an instruction to display the content, which is being displayed on the first display, on a second display of a first external device. This instruction causes a displaying of the content at a specified playback start point on the second display.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A set-top device comprising:
 memory including a content list; and 
 circuitry communicatively connected to the memory, the circuitry configured to
 communicate with a portable device and a second device through a local area network, 
 receive a first request for the content list from the portable device, 
 send the content list to the portable device, 
 receive a second request for a selected content based on a selection of content from the content list, 
 the second request being from the portable device, 
 stream the selected content to the portable device via the local area network in response to receiving the second request, 
 receive a first instruction that instructs to terminate streaming of the selected content to the portable device, the first instruction being from the portable device, 
 determine an endpoint of the selected content at a display of the portable device in response to the first instruction, 
 receive a second instruction to start streaming the selected content to the second device, wherein the portable device initiates the second instruction, 
 determine a playback start point based on the endpoint and without user selection in response to receiving the second instruction, and 
 stream the selected content to the second device from the playback start point. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The set-top device according to  claim 1 , wherein the selected content is video content. 
     
     
       3. The set-top device according to  claim 1 , wherein the endpoint and the playback start point are the same point relative to the selected content. 
     
     
       4. The set-top device according to  claim 1 , wherein the content list is a list of recorded content. 
     
     
       5. The set-top device according to  claim 1 , wherein the content list is a list of receivable channels. 
     
     
       6. The set-top device according to  claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to wirelessly communicate with at least one of the portable device or the second device through only the local area network. 
     
     
       7. The set-top device according to  claim 1 , wherein the second device is a television. 
     
     
       8. The set-top device according to  claim 1 , wherein the content list is EPG data. 
     
     
       9. A method comprising:
 receiving, with a circuitry, a first request for a content list from a portable device; 
 sending, with the circuitry, the content list to the portable device; 
 receiving, with the circuitry, a second request for a selected content based on a selection of content from the content list, the second request is received from the portable device; 
 streaming, with the circuitry, the selected content to the portable device via a local area network in response to receiving the second request; 
 receiving, with the circuitry, a first instruction that instructs to terminate streaming of the selected content to the portable device, the first instruction is received from the portable device; 
 determining, with the circuitry, an endpoint of the selected content at a display of the portable device in response to the first instruction; 
 receiving, with the circuitry, a second instruction to start streaming the selected content to a second device from the portable device; 
 determining, with the circuitry, a playback start point based on the endpoint and without user selection in response to receiving the second instruction; and 
 streaming, with the circuitry, the selected content to the second device from the playback start point. 
 
     
     
       10. The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the selected content is video content. 
     
     
       11. The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the endpoint and the playback start point are the same point relative to the selected content. 
     
     
       12. The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the content list is a list of recorded content. 
     
     
       13. The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the content list is a list of receivable channels. 
     
     
       14. The method according to  claim 9 , wherein sending the content list to the portable device further includes sending the content list to the portable device through only the local area network, and wherein streaming the selected content to the second device further includes streaming the selected content to the second device through only the local area network. 
     
     
       15. The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the second device is a television. 
     
     
       16. The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the content list is EPG data. 
     
     
       17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by an electronic processor, cause the electronic processor to perform a set of operations comprising:
 receiving a first request for a content list from a portable device; 
 sending the content list to the portable device; 
 receiving a second request for a selected content based on a selection of content from the content list, the second request is received from the portable device; 
 streaming the selected content to the portable device via a local area network in response to receiving the second request; 
 receiving a first instruction that instructs to terminate streaming of the selected content to the portable device, the first instruction is received from the portable device; 
 determining an endpoint of the selected content at a display of the portable device in response to the first instruction; 
 receiving a second instruction to start streaming the selected content to a second device from the portable device; 
 determining a playback start point based on the endpoint and without user selection in response to receiving the second instruction; and 
 streaming the selected content to the second device from the playback start point. 
 
     
     
       18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 17 , wherein the selected content is video content. 
     
     
       19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 17 , wherein the endpoint and the playback start point are the same point relative to the selected content. 
     
     
       20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 17 , wherein the content list is a list of recorded content. 
     
     
       21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 17 , wherein the content list is a list of receivable channels. 
     
     
       22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 17 , wherein sending the content list to the portable device further includes sending the content list to the portable device through only the local area network, and wherein streaming the selected content to the second device further includes streaming the selected content to the second device through only the local area network. 
     
     
       23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 17 , wherein the second device is a television. 
     
     
       24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 17 , wherein the content list is EPG data. 
     
     
       25. A system comprising:
 a portable device; 
 a second device;
 a local area network; and 
 
 a set-top device including
 memory including a content list; and 
 circuitry communicatively connected to the memory, the circuitry configured to
 communicate with the portable device and the second device through the local area network, 
 receive a first request for the content list from the portable device, 
 send the content list to the portable device, 
 receive a second request for a selected content based on a selection of content from the content list, the second request being from the portable device, 
 stream the selected content to the portable device via the local area network in response to receiving the second request, 
 receive a first instruction that instructs to terminate streaming of the selected content to the portable device, the first instruction being from the portable device, 
 determine an endpoint of the selected content at a display of the portable device in response to the first instruction, 
 receive a second instruction to start streaming the selected content to the second device from the portable device, 
 determine a playback start point based on the endpoint and without user selection in response to receiving the second instruction, and 
 stream the selected content to the second device from the playback start point. 
 
 
 
     
     
       26. The system according to  claim 25 , wherein the content list is EPG data, and wherein the portable device is configured to display the EPG data that is received from the set-top device as an EPG data display view on a display of the portable device. 
     
     
       27. The system according to  claim 26 , wherein the portable device is configured to
 receive a designation of a channel on the EPG data display view, and 
 transmit a channel change request to the set-top device based on the designation of the channel on the EPG data display view. 
 
     
     
       28. The system according to  claim 27 , wherein the set-top device is further configured to
 convert video content on the channel specified in the channel change request from the portable device into a format that can be displayed by the display of the portable device, 
 distribute the video content that is converted via streaming through the local area network, and wherein the portable device is configured to 
 receive the video content that is distributed, 
 decode the video content that is received, and 
 display the video content that is decoded on the display of the portable device. 
 
     
     
       29. The system according to  claim 27 , wherein the second device includes a display, and wherein the set-top device changes the display of the second device to the channel specified in the channel change request transmitted by the portable device. 
     
     
       30. The system according to  claim 26 , wherein the portable device is configured to
 receive a designation of a program in the future on the EPG data display view, and 
 transmit a request for setting a reservation to record the program to the set-top device based on the designation of the program.